They Can See It
by pen2starshollow
Summary: Contains various stories (moments) about different people in Stars Hollow who realized that Luke and Lorelai were into each other and right for each other before even Luke and Lorelai realized it. Java Junkie
1. Babette

_Each story will detail a moment where a character (most from Stars Hollow) realizes Luke and Lorelai like each other or are meant for each other. It all, as of now, takes place prior to them actually getting together (before R&R). Any suggestions on more characters to do are appreciated!..._

**Babette could see it**

* * *

It was a ridiculously hot summer a few years back. Her air conditioner was broken and after trying to suffer the heat in her tiny house for hours, she caved and went outside. As she sat down in her rocking chair, a figure caught her eye.

Luke was over on Lorelai's porch. He was bent over, hammering away at the banister she had broken the week before.

_It's so nice for a single mother like Lorelai to have someone to help her with these things_, Babette thought.

Just then Babette saw Lorelai walk out. She was carrying a glass of what appeared to be water that she handed to Luke. Babette watched them interact. Luke stopped his hammering and thanked Lorelai for the drink. Even with the 90+ degree heat, he was still wearing one of his typical long sleeve flannel shirts. Babette overheard Lorelai mocking him for always being so covered up.

_Those two are always picking on each other for something. _

After Luke finished his drink and went back to fixing the porch, Lorelai came down the steps and walked over to where Babette was sitting.

"Hey honey... Awfully hot to have your own man slave working out there for ya, don't ya think?" she yelled, with a wink.

"Oh, you know me. I'm like an Egyptian Pharaoh lining all my faithful servants up to build my pyramid," Lorelai joked. "Come on now, Babette. You know Luke would give me hell if I called a professional to come in and fix something when he could do it for free and just as well."

Babette laughed a little. They both looked over at Luke, standing on the porch. At just that moment, the heat had finally gotten to him. After wiping the sweat from his forehead, he slowly began to unbutton the soaked flannel that was sticking to his body. As he got to the last button, he pulled it off and threw it down next to him. For quite possibly the first time in years, Luke was out in public in just a t-shirt. But not any t-shirt…a tight, cotton, form fitting white one. The beads of sweat that surrounded his face had partially dripped down to soak through the white shirt to the point where it was almost see-through.

Babette turned to Lorelai. "So, sugar, you need anything, or did you just come over here to say hi."

Lorelai didn't respond right away. As much as she tried, she couldn't seem to take her eyes away from the man on her porch.

_Muscles,…wow, Luke has muscles. And not just any muscles, big ones. Sweaty, tan ones. Luke is tan? How does a man who wears a long sleeve flannel shirt in the middle of the summer have such a nice tan? The things you learn when a man takes off his shirt. Oh, wow, he is picking up the hammer, tightening his hand around it. His hand… the one attached to his arm,… the arm with the large muscles, and…_

"Earth to Lorelai," Babette called, waving her hand.

"Oh, uh, I just came here to uh," Lorelai tried to spit out while prying her eyes away from the porch. She suddenly felt embarrassed. She didn't expect to have those thoughts cross through her mind just then.

_Shake them out, Lorelai. This is Luke…your friend Luke we are talking about here._

Lorelai shyly dropped her head and stared at her feet for a moment before explaining that she had just run out of chocolate chips and wanted to see if Babette had any so she could finish her cookies.

While Lorelai may have tried to cover it up, the foreshadowing was obvious.

_Babette could see it._


	2. Miss Patty

**Miss Patty could see it**

* * *

Miss Patty was sitting in Luke's. With her she had seven little girls, all dressed in their adorable little tutus, stockings and ballet slippers. She had promised them a trip to Luke's for ice cream and pie if they came to practice and worked hard all week. After all, the semi-annual Stars Hollow "Future Stars" dance recital was coming up.

"Please, darlings, stay seated. Your desserts will be out shortly."

Patty looked behind the counter where Luke was working to prepare seven pint sized pie slices with ice cream on top.

_Ah_, she thought. _No wonder he is taking so long._

Sitting on the other side of the counter was a very bubbly Lorelai, begging to be served coffee before he finished with Patty's larger order.

"Please, Luke. I am running on one cup, and it wasn't even _your_ cup of coffee. I had to have _store bought_, _generic_ coffee! It was the only thing they had left at Doosie's. _Generic_, Luke. Do you know what _generic_ coffee can do to a girl? "

"Oh, I dunno, make her ramble on for five minutes to a certain diner owner who is trying to prepare food for seven little jam-handed kids who don't know what 'sit and stay in your chair' means?"

"Just hurry, hurry, hurry. I think I am going to faint of caffeine withdrawal any minute now. The only way to save me will be to stick an IV in my arm and just pump the coffee straight into me. Do you even know how to insert one of those IV things? They are quite tricky. I think you'd be better off just taking a break from pie-prepping and taking the whole five seconds to pour my a cup."

"My God, woman, calm down. I'll be done in a minute. They ordered first, so they'll get their order and then you will get yours. You are worse than those little kids over there."

Miss Patty laughed – out loud. She loved watching those two annoy each other. It was hard to find someone like that who you can drive crazy, but who'll still put up with you the next day. She should know, after all, she had been through five husbands.

Just then, Luke finally brought over their large order. The girls all jumped up and down cheering. One was so excited she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Luke. Well – she was so small she only could reach up to his legs, but nevertheless she hugged away.

"Thank you, mister," she peeped.

Luke, stunned and blushing, just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, enjoy your stuff," he said before peeling the little ballerina off his legs and walking back behind the counter. Miss Patty was wholeheartedly amused by the situation. As her little munchkins attacked their pie and ice cream, she entertained herself by watching the conversation at the counter.

"They loooooove you," Lorelai teased.

"Oh, stop. They just love food. Kids would hug a big, scary bear if it brought them pie and ice cream."

"So, now you are admitting you are a big, soft Teddy Bear?"

"Ah Geez. I can't win with you, can I?"

Lorelai threw her arms up in the air. "Finally, you see the light!"

Luke gave a frustrated sigh and poured her the caffeine fix she had begged for.

"Thank you"

"Uh huh," he grunted.

"So, are you gonna go watch your groupies dance tomorrow night?"

"Are you serious?" he responded.

"Aw, come on, you know you would melt watching them in their cute little outfits spinning around and crashing into each other on stage."

"I think I would rather crawl in the oven back there and bake at 350."

"Oh, you are such a grump. Come on, I _have_ to go because I am making the costumes. Rory has a homework thing she refuses to ditch. Damn kids, all stuck on their ideas of the future and college. So, she can't come. Why don't you go so I have someone to bug and mock the obsessive stage parents to?"

"I think that generic coffee went straight to your brain. "

_Keep trying_, Miss Patty thought as Lorelai continued to plead. _But you'll never break his ways. Many have attempted to get Luke to go to these town events. Virtually no one has succeeded._

The next night, Miss Patty was standing center stage as her little dancer's frolicked out on stage to take their final bow. Out from behind the curtain, she could finally catch a good look at the audience turnout. This is when someone surprising caught her eye. Off in the back left corner, she saw Luke, slumped in his chair, with an annoyed expression. Next to him, Lorelai was yacking away in his ear.

Luke was annoyed, yes – but he was _there_. It was a miracle. _Luke_, man of few words who normally wouldn't go near kids and recitals without physical intervention, was _willingly_ sitting and watching. And Lorelai was the reason.

_Miss Patty could see it. _


	3. Kirk

**Kirk could see it**

* * *

Kirk is sitting at his favorite table in Luke's. Well, his favorite table of the week, that is. He tends to find a new spot appealing in the diner each time he goes there. This day, though, he wanted the one in the corner. It is far enough away from people that they don't have to witness his sulking but close enough that he can still eavesdrop on most of their conversations. The light is also a little darker in the corner. And today – today Kirk is feeling a bit dark. He had just been fired – FIRED! – from his most recent job at Weston's.

_This is so not fair_, Kirk thought. _The menu said RUM balls. How was I supposed to know that I shouldn't use that much rum in each one? And apparently pouring rum over each one at the end is not customary. You would think they'd have some kind of step by step manual for these things. Of course, my boss said that is what recipes are usually for, but seriously, who has the time to go through an exact recipe when they have people shouting at them for orders. I mean_

"Kirk!" Luke shouted, snapping Kirk out of his deep train of thought.

"Yes?"

"I have been standing here for over a minute! That is about 59 seconds longer than I wanted to be. I have a full house and I am short staffed so order or get out!" Luke told him.

"Oh, sorry Luke. I am just - hey, did you say you were short staffed?"

"Caesar called in sick today so I am stuck cooking and serving everything. Stop asking questions and just tell me what you want."

Kirk saw an opening.

"You know Luke, I think you could use some more help around here. I am quite handy in the kitchen. Just ask my former employer at Weston's."

Kirk suddenly remembered _why_ he was out of a job.

"Oh, wait, scratch that. He may not be the best person to check with when it comes to me and cooking. Hm, there has to be someone better to attest for my skills – "

"Kirk, seriously, I don't have time for – "

"Oh! I know! Mother would give me a very strong recommendation. Just last night she was in the middle of her weekly "Dawson's Creek" marathon, and she asked me to whip her up a snack to go as a side to, as she terms it, 'that hunky dark-haired boy Pacey that always acts as my yummy main course.' Well, I cooked her all kinds of snacks. I made bite sized pizza squares, cookies, and I even fashioned her favorite, ants on a log. You know, it's where you put peanut butter on a stick of celery and – hey Luke! Where did you go?"

Kirk noticed Luke had given up on getting his order and walked back to the kitchen.

_Hm, how long have I been talking to myself?_ he wondered. He went back to brainstorming ideas of where he could get a job. About five minutes later a woman came running through the door and buzzed by Kirk on her way to the counter.

"Hi Kirk," Lorelai said as she passed.

"Hi," Kirk answered as he watched her sit at the counter.

"Coffee, please," she begged.

"I am swamped right now with orders that have to go out to tables. Give me a minute," Luke told her.

"Why the backup?" Lorelai asked.

"Caesar is out again. This is the third time this week!"

"Well, looks like you could use some help and I could use some coffee, ASAP. I know how I can solve both our problems at once."

She went behind the counter and grabbed two orders.

"What table?"

"You are not supposed to be back here. How many times do we have to go through this?"

"Hey buddy, do you want to keep your business afloat today or not?" She gave him a warm smile, asking again, "W-H-A-T table?"

Luke sighed. She had won. "That one goes to that guy and the other to the family by the window."

"Thank you. Now, where's my coffee?"

Kirk watched as Lorelai played waitress around the diner.

_Argh_, he thought, frustrated. _So she comes in here and two minutes later she gets to be a waitress but I need a job and Luke won't even consider me as a chef. This is so unfair! Is it just me? I mean, Luke was never exactly what you'd call my buddy in school. In fact, most times he would just hit me into the locker when he walked by and I tried to talk to him. But, even so, I have always thought Luke had a soft spot for me, even though he'd never admit it. I remember this one day when a group of bullies were trying to lock me in the equipment closet. Now, I couldn't see anything because they had covered my head with my cape and flipped me sideways. Boy, did that cape backfire at school sometimes. Anyway, all I remember is hearing a voice yell at the bullies to leave me alone. It was a strong, powerful voice that I recognized right away. It was Luke! Now, being the star athlete and chick magnet that he was, people rarely yelled back at Luke. So the boys dropped me and ran away. I thanked Luke for weeks after that. He told me he was regretting helping me because I now felt the need to shadow him everywhere like a homeless puppy dog. Still, I think deep down somewhere, Luke saved me because I am like the little brother he never had – or as he terms it, never wanted._

Kirk halted his reminiscing for a moment to look back at the counter. Luke was handing Lorelai a plate to go out to another table. He couldn't understand why Luke would let Lorelai, who already _had_ a job at the Independence Inn, help him but wouldn't hire Kirk.

_Look at those two. Luke pretends to be just as grumpy around her as he is around me. But it is a different kind of grumpy. Lorelai brings out a side of Luke I never could. I mean, if I went behind the counter and tried to deliver food he would probably stuff me in the oven. I guess I can understand, though. I mean, I suppose in an obvious way Lorelai is a lot prettier than I am. And she sure does seem to know just the right way to talk to Luke to get what she wants. I wonder if I learn to flirt like that if he would let me work here. Hm,…nah, I don't think I can quite pull of the feminine charm that Lorelai instinctively exudes. I just don't get it. Look at them…_

Kirk saw Lorelai prance back up to the counter.

"All done. All orders up and out. See how much easier life is when you let people actually help you once in a while?" Lorelai winked.

"Here is some more coffee, on the house. And…thanks," he responded. Luke flashed Lorelai a smile Kirk rarely saw come across his face in all the years he had known him. It was wide and open mouthed, teeth showing and all. Kirk had seen Luke smile like that before but for very few people. Liz, his father,…but not anyone in recent times since Liz left and his father died.

_He won't smile like that towards me or for most people in this town,_ hethought_. He only smiles…for her._

Kirk could see it.

**A/N**: That is all for now. I am thinking of doing Taylor next but if anyone has suggestions, I will take them!


	4. Mrs Kim

I know, I know, I said I would do Taylor next… again, but I changed my mind… again. Here we are at Mrs. Kim's story. She was interesting to do because she doesn't interact with the two of them (at least Luke) that often. This one actually is in Gilmore time. It takes place right around/after the season two episode "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" where Lorelai makes Luke bid for her basket and Lane gets in trouble. And as for the sports-antique shop thing, it is a little out there I know, but work with me here people. That all being said, hope you enjoy! As always, taking suggestions for who goes next!

* * *

Lorelai walks into Mrs. Kim's Antique Shop.

"Mrs. Kim, are you here?" she shouts

She hears someone rummaging in the back. Mrs. Kim walks up to the front to see Lorelai standing in the doorway.

"Ah, yes, Lorelai, you need something?"

"Well, actually, that is why I am here. This is going to probably sound a little bit out in left field, but –"

"Out in what?" Mrs. Kim asked, confused.

"Left field, you know, when something is a little strange or "out there." I think it is some kind of baseball expression."

"No. Never heard that. Anyway, though, go on."

"Yes, well, anyways, I was wondering if you by any chance had some kind of sport related antique-y kind of thing?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I thought you might have something old that was like, used by a sports guy. Maybe something related to baseball."

"You are asking me if my antique shop carries sports equipment?"

"Oh, no,… boy, I am not explaining this well. This is an antique store –"

"Yes, I know this." Mrs. Kim cut in, becoming impatient.

"So I was thinking you might have, like, an old antique baseball bat or something."

"You and Rory can't play baseball."

"Oh, this I know, trust me. It isn't for me. It's for Luke."

"Luke? Why are you buying something for Luke?"

"Well, it is kind of a long story. I sort of conned him into buying my basket at the auction. Miss Patty was trying to set me up with these men and they were bidding like crazy on my basket, so I ran into Luke's and made him spend all the money in his wallet just to buy the stupid thing. So, now I want to buy him something he will like as a thank you. And he likes baseball."

"_Luke_ bought your basket?"

"Yes, Luke."

"Did it have something that he wanted to eat in it?"

Lorelai laughed at this. "Oh, my basket? No,… no, no, no, no. Luke wouldn't eat something _I_ made unless I hid it in one of his salads. And even then I would have to hide it _really_ far down, covered by the lettuce and other gross vegetable-stuff he puts in there."

"Salad is good for you. There is nothing _gross_ about getting your proper nutrients."

"Oh, yes, um, of course. Luke has drilled that one into my head," Lorelai said, looking down at her feet.

_How did I get into a conversation about nutrients?_ she wondered.

"So, he was the one you wanted to get this basket that you knew he _wouldn't_ eat. I am confused. Are you and Luke an item or something?" Mrs. Kim asked. Normally she wouldn't pry this much but with everything going on between her and Lane right now, it was nice to get her mind off it for a while.

"Haha, me and Luke?" Lorelai answered, becoming fidgety talking to Mrs. Kim about this. "Oh, no, definitely not a couple."

"I always see you eat at his place"

"Well, when you can't cook anything that doesn't say poke a hole in the plastic or it will explode in your microwave,… which, by the way is true,… you gotta eat _somewhere_ or you will starve."

"But he serves fries there. Fries are the devil's starchy fingers. No good for you."

"Well, with _all_ the fries I consume I must have a first class ticket to visit the devil in hell," Lorelai joked.

Mrs. Kim gave her a look of utter shock.

_Dammit._ Lorelai scolded herself. _You know better than to make that joke in front of Mrs. Kim. She appreciates your sense of humor less than your mother. _

"Sorry,… just a little of my inappropriate sense of humor coming into play there. In any case, this present I am looking for–"

"For Luke. Who bought your picnic basket and ate with you, but who you are _not_ dating."

"Uh, yes."

"I will never understand Americans."

_Should I be insulted by that?_ Lorelai asked herself.

"In Korea," Mrs. Kim continued, "the only way a woman spends as much time with a man as you do with that diner owner is if they are married. In fact, most people who _are_ married in our culture have spent far less time with each other before their wedding than you two."

"Well no dating and no wedding here. Us American girls like to do crazy things like stack up platonic-male friends."

"Hm," Mrs. Kim grunted, with a tone of obvious disapproval.

"So, about the thing I came here for. Do you think you have anything?"

"This is an antique shop. We don't really do sports. If you like, you can look around though and see if anything will suffice."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kim."

Lorelai stayed and searched through the shop for a few more minutes, but the search came up fruitless.

_Damn, I just went through a grilling fit for a CIA agent and for nothing. Now I see why Lane was so reluctant to tell her mother about Henry. Poor overprotected kid._

After Lorelai gave up and left, Mrs. Kim watched her as she walked.

_Of course, _Mrs. Kim thought to herself. _She walks straight into that diner. I am not one who usually gets in other people's business, unless it is involving Lane, but I just don't understand that Lorelai Gilmore sometimes. People say she is just a free spirit and the crazy things she does just make her more endearing. But gallivanting around with a man all the time just doesn't seem right. If you are going to spend that much time with someone, it should be your husband or at least serious boyfriend. I have seen the way those two look at each other…with eyes of LUST. "Lust eyes" like that,…they only lead to sin. Lust is not meant for "platonic" friends. _

Mrs. Kim could see it.


	5. Sookie part 1

I was going to wait until I had the whole Sookie part done, but with all the work I have right now that might be a while. So I thought I would put it up in parts. I am not sure if I am going to do two or three parts yet. This is part one. I figured that Sookie is just about the biggest JJ in SH we have. Everyone knows she has seen "it" for years. Even on the show she has discussed this with Lorelai. So I did something a little different. Sookie's part for this chapter is not about seeing "it" before they got together, but instead seeing how once they did, this is "it." She sees how this relationship is different for Lorelai,…unlike any other relationship Lorelai has had. The first part takes place within WiTS. It is probably almost better fitted for my other fic, but I changed it up some so it fits into the theme of this fic instead. Okay, sorry to ramble so long…please review so I can see what you guys think before I finish up Sookie part 2.

* * *

Sookie was running around the Dragonfly's kitchen starting to prepare lunch.

"Ah! There you are, you beautiful green vegetable!" she exclaimed when she found Jackson's freshly grown zucchini hiding towards the back of the fridge. She pulled it out, grabbed her favorite knife and began chopping away.

_Where is she? It is already 10:00 and she is not here yet! I am dying to know how her and Luke's first date went! Literally, D-Y-I-N-G!_

Sookie began chopping more and more quickly now. It was all she could do to keep her mind from traveling off to another place – a darker place – a _dirty_ place.

_I mean, sure, in my heart of hearts I always felt this day would come. I am actually surprised it took so long for this day **to** come. For eight years there has been enough sexual tension between these two to power all the crazy tools in Luke's toolbox. I know she would never admit it back then, but Lorelai was always distracted by Luke in one way or another. I have to concede, though, Luke always did seem to have one-up on most of the guys she dated. Besides the fact that Luke was someone constant in her life that she could trust to always be there for her and Rory, I think (again, she would never admit it back then) Luke's "rugged, muscular man's-man" aura pulled Lorelai in. Granted, Max was an intelligent, great guy, but let's face it – you put his skinny little arms next to Luke's big biceps – well, there's no competition. And then Jason, don't even get me started on Jason. That little twit's body doesn't even come close to Luke's large, solid, rock hard chest – wait a minute! Pull it together, Sookie, you are married! You are not supposed to by thinking about other men's chests! Especially that of your best friend's boyfriend. Oh, wow, Luke is Lorelai's boyfriend! Now those muscles of his are officially all hers. Hm, those two sure do make an attractive couple. Seriously though, I am dying to know what happened last night. Not every little (or big – dirty!) detail. Oh, who am I kidding? I want to know it all! Wow, it is 10:20 now… how long have I been day dreaming? And why isn't Lorelai her? Oh, well, I bet I know why she isn't here. She is probably too exhausted from having all the great s – hey, dammit, Sookie! You are doing it again."_

Just then Lorelai came waltzing into the kitchen with a huge smile spread across her face.

"Hey, Sook, sorry I'm late, I just – hey, what are you doing?"

Before Lorelai could finish her sentence Sookie had grabbed her by her vest and was shoving her out the door. Sookie finally stopped the assault when they landed in the garden (surrounded by all the gnomes Lorelai insisted on putting out there).

"Sookie, what the hell was that about?"

"Details," Sookie managed to get out, still panting from excitement. "Need details, now!"

"Geeze, you'd think I just came back from meeting Bono or something. Don't I even get a 'hi' first?"

"Okay, Lorelai, hi. Now, details! Don't make me beg, dammit!"

_Cause I would,_ Sookie admitted to herself.

"Hm, I am not exactly sure what you want me to detail. Well, Rory called and said her Naked Guy met Nicole Ritchie this summer. Oh, and she said they are having a wake for Paris' old, and I do mean old, boyfriend. You know, the professor. Did I ever –"

"Lorelai!" Sookie screamed.

_Is she seriously doing this to me right now?_

Lorelai cracked a huge smile, throwing her head back with laughter.

"God, Sook, I sure do love you when you are desperate. I'm just kidding, or course I can fill you in on last night. Come here."

She grabbed Sookie, who was shaking with anticipation by now, and pulled her over to a bench in their garden. No one else was outside but them.

"Well, he took me to this place called Sniffy's Tavern. It was so cute, Sookie. The owners, Maisie and Buddy, knew Luke. And they didn't just know Luke, they _knew_-knew Luke. Like when he was a little boy. They told me all these great stories about him. I never realized how much I didn't know about Luke and – what?" she stopped, looking at Sookie, who had a huge smile across her face.

"You're BEAMING, Lorelai. Look at you."

Lorelai suddenly became very shy and looked down at her feet. She couldn't deny it, she _was_ beaming. And after last night, such a perfect night, she had every right to be.

"Well, it was great night and a great morning."

"Whoa!" Sookie yelled, jumping up a bit." I will so make you get back to that great _morning_ comment, but for now, keep going about dinner."

"Haha, okay. Well, there was one thing Luke did that just floored me. We were discussing the first time we met. I couldn't remember, but Luke did, and he told me the whole story of it. That's Luke for ya, he sure does know how to pay attention to details. _Every_ little detail in fact –"

"Dirty," Sookie chuckled.

"How did I know that was coming? Anyways, so Luke told me how I first came into the diner and chased him around begging for coffee. He said he told me to sit and wait but I kept annoying him. I asked him for his birthday and cut out a horoscope writing 'you will meet an annoying woman today, give her coffee and she'll go away' on it and told him to put it in his wallet and it would bring him luck one day. So he then reaches in his back pocket, pulls his wallet out and -

"He didn't?"

"Oh, he did! He has kept that horoscope for eight years, since the day we met. Eight years, Sookie. I was amazed."

"I'll bet. I told you Luke liked you all those years. You would never admit it but everyone in town –"

"Alright, Sookie, do you want to travel down memory lane or hear about the rest of the date."

"Oh, sorry, go, go, go!"

"So then he turns to me and says, 'Lorelai, this thing we're doing here, me, you, I just want you to know I'm in. I am _all_ in. Those were his exact words. All in."

"Wow, if that's not a statement to build a relationship on, I don't know what is."

Lorelai giggled, much like a 13 year old girl. "Yea, I know. So after his little admission he asked me if I was scared by all this."

"Uh oh."

"Uh oh, what?"

_Whoops, crap, didn't mean to say that out loud_, Sookie scolded herself in her head.

"Ah…nothing, go on."

"No, Sookie, come on. Why did you say 'uh oh'?"

"Okay. Well, it's just that you have a track record of running from guys when they put themselves out there like that."

"Ouch."

"Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out so bad."

"No, Sook, it's okay. You are right, I do run. But while a lot of that is about me and my issues, a lot is about Rory too. I have kept guys at an arms length because I didn't want them to get to Rory. But Luke,…Rory loved him even before we decided to date. He already got to her. He already go…to me."

Lorelai spoke the last two words very quietly, but Sookie could still hear them and recognize their impact.

"Good, hon," Sookie started. "I am really sorry I insinuated you would run away from this. It's just that it is such a good thing for you. Luke is such a good thing for you."

"I know."

"And I want you to be able to experience something like I got to experience with Jackson. Where someone just sweeps you off your feet and the next thing you know you are suddenly picturing yourself 40 years down the line living in Florida in a couples retirement community that your children paid for you to get in to."

"Ah, but with the humidity down in Florida my hair would get too frizzy. It would cost a fortune to buy all that anti-frizz hair product. Not to mention the gas prices down there."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Yea, I gotcha Sookie."

There was a moment of silence. Sookie was hesitant to ask the next question.

"Lorelai?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think this could be _it_? You and Luke, I mean, you have only been on one date but you have all that history. Does it feel right?"

"It feels…different."

"In a good way?"

"In a very good way. I feel, well, calm. And happy. And excited. And anxious – but in a good way. And ready. More ready than I think I have been at the start of any other relationship. And I feel prepared to feel this way, yet also unprepared to be feeling this way at the same time. I don't know if that makes any sense. But most of all, everything about last night felt different. Different – but in the best way possible."

**_Different_**, Sookie thought. _She just may finally be ready for what is about to hit her. And for Lorelai to actually let it all come into her life – that will certainly be **different**._

Sookie could see it. And "it" was – different.


	6. Sookie part 2

It took me a while to get my motivation back and to find some time to write, but I finally finished Sookie part 2. It, like the first, probably could fit into my other episode extension fic, but I worked it to fit into the premise of "They Can See It." This part takes place the morning after the reconciliation in "So Good Talk." The premise is similar to Sookie part 1. To understand the significance of the end, it may be a good idea to read part 1 first. Two things to credit... First, the author of "Like Wildfire" for the phrase. I also have to credit the awesome people at FF for continuously pointing out everyone's frustration with certain plotlines that we never got to see mentioned on screen again. I thought I would throw a few of them into this fic,…for the purpose of gaining some closure.

Now that Sookie is done, back to the original format for the next one. Next up _should_ be Taylor.

**Sookie could see it**

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* * *

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It was heading towards late morning, and Sookie was going through all the empty rooms to make sure the complimentary cookies were stocked and the flowers were fresh. She walked down the hall with her imagination in its own little world, dreaming about tonight's fabulous dinner she was going to prepare: duck with wild rice. Just as she was debating which magical spice would grace the roasted bird, she felt someone grab her from behind.

"Sookie!" the voice screeched.

Sookie turned around to see Lorelai with a giddy grin on her face.

_Am I still day dreaming?_ she wondered. _Because I haven't seen Lorelai act like this since her and Luke broke up. _

"Sookie," Lorelai said again. "Don't you have anything to ask me?"

"Uh, yes, I suppose? What's with the sudden change in spirits? You look perkier than Katie Couric right now."

"What…you mean, you didn't hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Wow, I guess you left for work before Kirk started the public ribbon collection shenanigans."

"Ribbons? Oh no, is this about Luke? Hunny, are you okay? Did he move the boat again? What happened with-"

Lorelai was growing impatient letting Sookie babble on. She was dying to tell her best friend about last night.

"Sookie," she interrupted. "Oh my God, I've gotta get you caught up. Let's go in here and talk."

Lorelai took out her keys, opened vacant room number 7 and sat Sookie down on the bed.

"Luke and I got back together last night!" she blurted out, bouncing up from the bed.

"Lorelai! Oh my God! You waited a whole minute before telling me that? Are you crazy, that's a lead story! Wow! How did I not hear this yet? Word travels like wildfire in this town!"

"You got that part right," Lorelai agreed.

"Oh, wow, I have so many questions. When? How? Oh…start with where!"

"How about I just start from the beginning?"

"Okay, but if you leave out anything important –"

"I won't."

"Okay, good. Hey, Lorelai?"

"Yes?"

"Before you start, I almost forgot to tell you – I am so happy for you guys!"

"I know, Sook. And you know I love you for it."

"Good. Okay, go!"

"Alright, so I was sitting down watching the third rendition in my 'A Star is Born' series."

"Judy Garland?"

"The one and only. So, Judy's solo of 'the man that got away' comes on and I am sitting there, completely depressed, thinking about how I had let Luke get away and just reliving the past five months. All of a sudden I hear a knock on the door."

"Oh, this is getting to the good part!" Sookie chimed in. She was trying her best to keep her excitement under control. Even so, her hands were shaking and her heart was on jump away from landing in her throat.

"Well, when I first heard it I thought it might be you. I mean, Rory went back to Yale to go spend the rest of her spring break with her frisky Yale boy. So I thought maybe she called you to come occupy my poor, pathetic soul. So I sadly pulled myself off the couch and walked to the door. I opened it and – there was Luke, standing there with this look on his face. I seriously couldn't decipher his look – or even get myself to breath for that matter. And I didn't really have time to anyway. Within a second of opening the door he had walked in, grabbed me and kissed me. It was amazing, Sookie. I wanted to laugh, cry, smile, scream, run and stay there forever, all at the same time. It may have been the most aggressive, yet passionate, Luke has ever been. It was honestly the best kiss of my life."

"Ohhhh," Sookie cooed. "Wow, who knew Luke had it in him. Well, I am sure you did."

"Well, there was something just – different about it. Maybe it was because I had just been through one of the most emotionally draining months of my life. And then the guy who I had just been crying over and who hasn't left my mind since we broke up waltzes in, wraps his arms around me, picks me up –"

"Whoa," Sookie stopped her. "He picked you up? Like was there actual lifting involved?"

"Yes, actually, there was a bit."

"Wow, this sounds like it's heading toward 'Bull Durham' intensity."

"Geez, Sookie, you and that movie, I swear!"

"Damn, so no tables involved?"

Lorelai blushed a bit, looked down, and let a small grin creep across her face.

"Ohh," Sookie teased. "So there was a table?"

"Well, not exactly a table. I did hit my back kind of hard on my banister, though," Lorelai answered, rubbing the small of her back.

"Ah, sex on the stairs, this is great!"

"Sookie," Lorelai blushed a little more. She didn't know why, though, considering she is usually the one cracking sex jokes. "No, we didn't have sex on the stairs."

"Damn, always gotta pop the bubble in my imagination."

Lorelai laughed before continuing. Sookie was so cute when she was on the verge of combusting with excitement.

"So, no sex on the stairs. What did you do, exactly?"

"Well, we kissed for what seemed like an eternity. It was so intense and amazing that I lost track of time. Honestly, if you even asked me what day it was – what year it was – I wouldn't have been able to formulate a thought and answer."

"Ah, so romantic, it's like a dream."

"Yeah, it really was. Although, the dream ended kind of strangely when we finally broke apart. The first words that came out of his mouth were 'damn boots.'"

"Damn boots?" Sookie asked with a very confused expression.

"Yeah, I was just as stumped as you are – at first. But then he went on to say that he had spent his entire lunch break and most of the night before staring at the boots he had bought me before we broke up. They were delivered two days after we broke up. He said having them in his apartment as a reminder of me day and night nearly killed him – and his business. So, before he went back down to the diner to serve dinner last night he buried the boots in the back of his closet to try and maintain sanity. And then he told me something I _never_ expected – my mother went to see him last night."

_Oh shit_, Sookie thought. _Why_ _does that woman insist on continually messing up her daughter's life?_

"Oh God, is she crazy?" Sookie asked.

"Seriously. But before I had the chance to throw a fit about her being a reason he came to see me, he talked me down. Luke said I was crazy if I actually believed my mother, of all people, would hold that kind of influence over him. She came to tell him that he had "won," I had chosen him, and she was going to stay out of it."

Sookie felt her blood begin to boil. _The nerve._

"He had 'won'? What, are you like a prize that pops out of a toy machine and they get to fight over you?"

"Yeah, I wasn't a big fan of the phrasing either. But he did tell me what she said was enough to make him think that maybe I was going through the same hell he was. So he said he went back up to his apartment and dug up the boots – again – and the shirt of his I used to wear to bed every night. He said that this time, he only needed to stare at them for a minute before realizing what he had to do."

"Hm, so your wardrobe drove him to you. Never would have thought that!"

Lorelai laughed a bit. "Interesting way of putting it."

"Oh you know what I meant."

"I gotcha, Sookie."

"Good. Lorelai, whatever drove him to you, I am so happy about it. I swear, you two are some of the most stubborn people I have ever met. That is part of what makes you perfect for each other."

_Perfect._

As Lorelai went on about the previous night, Sookie thought back to the morning she found out about their first kiss, almost one year ago.

_I was so damn excited. I knew they were perfect for each other even before they knew it. Stupid kids just refused to turn around and see it. Took them so damn long, but when they did finally get together, it was like the stars and planets aligned and everything in Lorelai's life finally made sense. I have never seen Lorelai let a guy in to her life so fast. Actually, I have never seen her let a guy in – period. Before Max, she wouldn't even let a guy in her house. And when she was with him she didn't even want to sleep in her room when he was there or give him a key, and he was her fiancé! And then there was Jason. He got about as far into Lorelai's life as Germany got into England. And of course, there is always Chris. Make that there always WAS Chris. Thank God Lorelai didn't fall into that trap again. But Lorelai still kept Chris at a distance. Even when she was 16, she didn't want to marry him and she took Rory so she could raise her daughter on her own terms. For the past few years, though, Chris has tried to creep back into Lorelai's life again. I mean, the guy proposed to her, and she said no. That position in her life wasn't reserved for him anymore. I don't think it ever was. It was reserved for someone better. Someone more caring – someone who would be willing and able to take care of Lorelai for the rest of her life. It was reserved for someone like Luke. Scratch that. That middle Lorelai told me she wants so desperately isn't reserved for someone like Luke – it is reserved FOR Luke. _

Lorelai noticed Sookie was getting that silly grin that always came across her face whenever Lorelai was babbling about Luke and how great he was.

"Ah, crap, I am rambling on here about this, aren't I?" Lorelai said, with a hint of self-consciousness in her voice.

"Oh, no sweetheart, I was just reminiscing."

"Ah, yes, reminiscing. I've done a lot of that in the past month," Lorelai admitted, her face suddenly becoming serious.

"Well, like I told you before, when a relationship is right, things work out."

"Speaking of things you told me before. Sookie, do you remember when we talked the day after Luke and I went on our first date?"

_Do I remember? Geez, woman, of course I remember! When your best friend fills you in on a date that had eight years of build up with her soul mate, you are going to remember every detail!_

Sookie spoke, "Yes, of course I remember."

"Well, Sookie…I saw it."

"You saw…?"

"It."

"It?'

"Yes, it."

"Okay, your being about as vague as Bush in a political debate. I'm going to need some details to fill in the blanks here."

"I pictured it, just like you said. I was lying there with Luke's arms wrapped around me, and I saw us, 40 years down the line, living together. Well, we weren't in a Florida retirement community like you saw with Jackson. But I saw us grow old together. I saw the middle. Before last night, I had always wondered about the middle, and imagined it, but it had never been so clear…so close…so real."

"So, no more running away from what you two know is right? No more being afraid of the future and real commitment?"

"Nope. We promised each other that. We know we have things to work on. But we decided the only way to do that is _together_. This is _it_."

Sookie took a deep breath, and then let out a sigh of relief.

_She's finally there. She's finally going to get to experience what it's like to have the whole package._

_Sookie could ALWAYS see it. _


End file.
